Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Hey, I'm a piano teacher!!

As an adult beginner, I usually practice with my headphones on so my wife doesn't divorce me. I wonder sometimes about my skill level, and I hesitate to play even the simplest pieces for others for fear that they'll think I'm wasting my time with this ridiculous hobby.
But today, when substitute-teaching in the music department, I was in charge of the beginning piano and guitar class.
One of the honors students (whom I've had in many other classes) was having a terrible time with her Cmaj scale and the I, IV, and V chords of that scale.
I was able to sit with her for a while and explain how those chords are formed, why we play them with the fingering that we do, and how each scale of the piano has the same chords, built in the same way.
I was also able to show her that the C major scale, descending, just sounds like random notes. But played with a different timing, it's "Joy to the World."
She was very appreciative, and told me that she'd learned a lot. It was the first time, ever, that I felt I really KNEW somthing about the piano and that others looked up to me for having that knowledge.
It was a great feeling.

Congratulations, Michael!

We can all learn from each other and teach each other, no matter how simple or elementary.

I’ve never thought I could play all that well, but I’ve had some YouTube members who watched some of my YT music videos to email me and ask me if I’d record a tutorial of a certain song or send them the sheet music. I was flattered, but realize that I need to be taking piano lessons and not giving them…

But, as you say, it is a good feeling to teach someone else what little I know.

Nice post…

Rick

Bet that feels awesome. As not quite beginners its useful to remember that in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man/woman is king/queen

I hear you on this one.

I'm happy for you, sometimes it's those little things that keep you going.

Regards

Congratulations, Michael. Come to think of it, everyone who is self-learning at the piano, is the student and the teacher at the same time.

Hi Michael,

You got me thinking that I'm sort of a piano teacher too, despite my beginner status.

My 6 year old is taking lessons, and every night I sit down with him for his practice. He gets 30 minutes a week with his real teacher, but he gets the rest of the week stuck with me!

I have to constantly remind him to slow down and make it musical. I tell him that people aren't impressed with speed and lots of mistakes and choppy playing - that people would much more like to hear a controlled and musically played piece (I give him examples with Mary Had a Little Lamb). I try to show him other things as they come up, I hope he's actually listening.

About once a month he storms off in anger as a result of my direction. I guess he might be a true pianist after all!

That's cool, Michael! Nothing like teaching to learn what you know

Cathy

I think sometimes a peer tutor (another learner) is better at explaining things in a way that's understandable, because the explanation likely includes just the basic information, which is easier for the student to get their head around.

Also, I've heard that in peer tutoring situations, the tutor learns as much as the learner. Did you find this to be true? I can kind of see how it could be, because there might be a kind of consolidation of scattered bits of info they had absorbed unconsciously.

I have absolutely found this to be true! I taught high school English for 34 years, and I never learned so much about anything as when I had to teach it.
As to the piano, I was explaining the I, IV, and V chords of the C major scale to this young lady, and showing her why we use the inversions to go back and forth rather than moving our whole arm up and down the keyboard.
My need to be absolutely clear for her in turn clarified things for me. It's a wonderful symbiotic relationship.

As a teacher you are always learning different techniques from different pupils, and as a pianist if you show somebody something, and they understand then this is a great achievment and you should be proud of youself.

I think it's a nice feeling as well when you show somebody something and they understand it and are enjoying and appreciating what you are doing.

Have fun!

How exciting for you Michael, what an awesome feeling that must have been!

Hey Ben, my younger one (also 6) started lessons officially too this year. I was explaining "legato" to her earlier tonight. She is tearing through this book of "folk songs", and she's a terrific sight reader - she looks at the score almost the whole time - hardly looking at her hands.

PS-I'm not qualified at all as a teacher but, like you, content to be the during-the-week "coach."

I hear you. My 6 year old is a much better sight reader than I am. I try to show him how certain sections of the piece he's working on should sound and I screw up terribly (while he's chuckling the whole time!)

I get it eventually, the whole time subscribing to the theory, "Do as I say, not as I do."!

Well done Michael! I remember back in high school, I was asked to take up some beginner students (grade 1-5 ABRSM) for 2 months as a substitute. I was very scared because I thought I was incompetent. In the end, I had one student gave me some chocolates and thanked me during our last lesson.

It's not easy to teach students with varied skill levels and age. But it was rewarding when you see them progress although it was in such a short time. I guess that's why many pianists are passionate about teaching as they are performing.

Perhaps I'll consider teaching when I become more advanced :-)